Question:
How do I modify or recreate an Act! database .PAD file?
Product:
Product Family: Act!
Product: Act! Pro, Act! Premium
Version: 2005 and later
Answer:
Locating the .PAD file
By default, databases and their .PAD files are created to the following location:
- C:\Users\[Windows username]\My Documents\Act\Act Data\Databases
If your database is not in the default location, but you are not sure where to locate it, you can locate it by using the steps in the following knowledgebase article:
How to determine the location of an Act! database
Answer ID How to determine the location of an Act! database
Option 1: Modifying the .PAD file
- Browse to the location of your Act! database
- Right-click the .PAD file, select Open with, then select Notepad
Note: If you do not see the option for Notepad, you will need to select Choose default program…, select Notepad from the list of Other Programs, uncheck Always use the selected program to open this kind of file, then click OK. - Make necessary changes to the .PAD file, such as updating the Host name to a new name or IP address, or updating the file path to a new one
- Save and close the file
Option 2: Recreating the .PAD file
- Close Act!, then browse to the location of your Act! database file
- Rename the .PAD file associated with your database by adding .old after .pad (for example MyDatabase.pad.old)
- Open the database by double clicking on the database adf file with Act! closed
- Once logged in a new pad file will be created